By LAWI WENG-The New Mon State Party (NMSP), the former ethnic ceasefire group in the southern part of Burma, will not give up their arms and Mon leaders from the party have stated that they will use their arms in order to fight freedom for their people
Addressing a crowd of 1,000 people at the 64th Mon National Day Commemoration in Banan Ban village, near NMSP headquarters, Nai Rot Sa, NMSP vice-chairman, explained, “We took ceasefire with the regime in order to solve political conflict peacefully. But, we did not get the chance to solve it.
“They [the regime] want us to surrender our arms to them. We will never do it. We will join our people, and fight for freedom with these arms,” he said.
The NMSP participated in a ceasefire agreement with the regime in 1995, but the ceasefire agreement was broken after the Burmese junta forced the NMSP to join a the Border Guard Force (BGF) under Burmese army command in June last year, and the NMSP refused.
The NMSP is now prepared to go to war with the regime. The party has invited their former members who are their best fighters to rejoin their ranks, and sources have reported that 100 members have returned.
Soe Win, who formerly left the NMSP rejoined last year saying, “We need impulsive fighters to act, not wait for commands. If we do not fight like this, we cannot win.”
“I will not allow them [Burmese soldiers] to live this time if I catch them during a fight,” he exclaimed.
An NMSP officer explained, “We have about 1,000 troops. We can select 200 troops for a special group to wage guerrilla warfare.”
NMSP has already begun to train this group, selecting artillery, training on methods of guerrilla warfare, and training sniper shooters as well. NMSP leaders have told their troops to shoot any junta troops that enter areas of NMSP control.
Mon leaders’ speeches on Mon National Day exuded a stark contrast to former political speech during the ceasefire agreement. Now they speak in strong and aggressive tones as the relationship between the party and the regime has soured.
“If the regime wants to eliminate us with their guns, we are ready to do so as well,” said Nai Hang Thar, the secretary of the NMSP.
NMSP leaders explained that they will pressure the new government to solve ethnic political conflicts with help from the armed forces of the ethnic military alliance, in which 12 ethnic armed groups have joined under the Committee for the Emergence of a Federal Union (CEFU).
Nai Rot Sa stated that if the new Burmese government proposes a new ceasefire in the future, the NMSP will not go alone, instead bringing along all members of the CEFU for peace talks.
NMSP leaders explain that they do not recognize the new Burmese govenrment, stating that it will not be able to solve the ethnic political conflicts, and that the new government was not elected by the people as it was not a free nor fair election.
Leaders said that they will continue to support Burma’s pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, in her efforts to hold a second Panglong conference. Many NMSP leaders believe that a second Panglong will lead to unity among the ethnic people and peace will exist in the country.
Mon National Day was held at Banan Bon village on Saturday. At the commemoration, two Mon Buddhist monks, Rev Palita and Apol Dot, who are well-respected (revered) throughout Mon State, stated their support for a Mon armed revolution.
Addressing the crowds, Rev Palita said, “Everyone has to die, but we [Mon people] need to die for our people.
“Work like slaves for your people. Do not work for the Burmese [regime]. If you work for the Burmese, you will go to hell,” said Rev Palita.
About 100 members of the Mon National Liberation Army (MNLA), which included women, staged a military parade and sang the Mon national song while saluting the Mon flag.
Mon National Day commemorates the day when the first Mon kingdom, Hongsawatoi, was established in 1116 of the Buddhist Era, or 573 CE.
